Bryce Gustafson, an organizer with Citizens Action Coalition since 2009, joins this week's show to explain the proliferation of AI data center proposals in the city and state and update us on the struggles to defeat them.
First, for the Naptown Breakdown co-hosts Dani Abdullah and Derek Ford address Gov. Braun's Nov. 19 order to deploy 300 Indiana National Guardsmen to Washington D.C. in December. While they train at Camp Atterbury, which is slated to be an ICE detention center, their deployment depends on the outcome of a federal court decision. Veterans and active-duty soldiers are organizing against ICE's reign of terror, like About Face's "Right to Refuse" campaign that organizer Lucas Lee announced in a previous episode.
Next, they turn to the recent "swatting" of multiple Republican senators and City-County councilor Nick Roberts, which entails the threat or use of violence against those who oppose Trump's redistricting efforts. The current swatting controversy is one instance of a long history, dating back to the counterrevolution that overthrew Reconstruction in the late 19th Century. As early as 1938, a Supreme Court justice noted "less than half of one percent" of cases of 14th Amendment cases concerned the rights of Black people. Today's redistricting push is another attempt by the ultra-right to roll back the social gains made during the 1960s-70s.
Having just returned from a Martindale Brightwood organizing meeting to keep Metrobloks out of our city, Bryce Gustafson helps us understand the specifics of AI data centers, the reasons behind the recent rush for their development in Indiana, as well as the looming trillion-dollar economic bubble that even Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai anticipates is on the verge of bursting. Gustafson, who has decades of experience fighting to protect Hoosiers from rising costs of energy, utilities, and health care—not to mention the racism and corruption plaguing the Public Library Board of Trustees—shares his outlook and what every person in Naptown can do to protect our people and city.
This week's Circle City Shout Out goes to Nikki Shumpert, a community member who you can find helping our neighbors in need on a daily basis. Nikki is also a foster mom who has foster mom who has adopted and raised multiple children who have gone on to do amazing things with their lives. Unfortunately, on February 25 of this year, cop Grant Snyder killed one of her children, Adam Sykes. Under Nikki's leadership, PSL Indianapolis and other community members revealed evidence the IMPD was trying to hide from the public. Two days ago, on November 24, Adam would have turned 25. We send our love and heartfelt solidarity to Nikki and the family of fighters she raised. Rest in Power, Adam Sykes!
Before closing out the show, we remind listeners of Circle City Sangha's weekly gathering at the Center this Saturday at 9:30 and announce our new partnership with Emancipatory Motions, a political yoga practice for movement building. Join them this and every Sunday at 6:00 pm at the Center.
Show Notes:
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